Odysseus: The Great Harbor City
by Julia Lin
Summary: Another one of Odysseus' many exploits (inserted between books 9 and 10)


The Great Harbor City  
(The Lost Episode)  
  
And from there we sailed on, glad to escape our death yet sick at heart for  
  
the comrades we had lost.  
  
We set sail around the coast, away from the one-eyed giant's cave. The  
  
wine-dark sea speeding under our swift ship. We came next to a small island,  
  
hoping to stop and replenish our supplies. I worried again, were the people here  
  
like us, god-fearing men? Or did they devour their guests as the dreaded  
  
Cyclops? We had no choice but to find a place to tie up our well-manned ship.  
  
We came upon a great walled city with room to dock thirty prim vessels.  
  
My shipmates called out,  
  
"Why it seems as though we have returned to Troy!"  
  
"Such a wall can only be the work of the gods themselves!"  
  
"Let us stop and ask for bread and wine to give us sustenance on our voyage."  
  
I listened to the good counsel of my crew and they tied our strong cables  
  
fast to the port. I gave them leave to view the island as they pleased and bade  
  
them return to the ship as Helios finished his daily ride through the heavens. I  
  
came to the gates of the city, opened wide to whomever wished to enter. I made  
  
my way to the center of the town, passing wanderers and beggars who had been  
  
destined by the gods to roam the world alone.  
  
There was no sign of the home of the king's house where a suppliant may  
  
ask a favor. A young beggar came down the road and I raised a greeting. "Good  
  
Sir! Target of misfortune and scorn, I wonder where the palace of your good  
  
king may be? Would you help me to find the way?"  
  
A wicked grin passed his countenance, "I will lead you where you ask, for  
  
you look a god to me. How tall in stature, how strong in build! I am Fiorre, a  
  
poor man as you see me, and I will take you to King Aeoraes, our leader." The  
  
beggar walked off and I, unknowing of the trap that lay ahead, followed him as  
  
naive cattle blindly follow their cowherd. Keeping in step with their kind master  
  
until they are needed and their throats are cut and drained of life-giving blood.  
  
So I followed this beggar, into paths that wound about so that a stranger  
  
could easily get lost in them. "Is the journey much longer, friend in hardships? I  
  
have traveled far already. Surely we should have arrived by now?" I questioned  
  
him.  
"Indeed, we have already arrived." It seemed that there was no palace  
  
within view, and so I felt uneasy, my cunning mind thinking of possible reasons  
  
for his statement. "We are not traveling to King Aeoraes. We are coming to a  
  
halt so you may give me your possessions. Perhaps you are some great leader  
  
back at last from the fields of Troy, eager to see your country or a wanderer,  
  
destined to face the world alone. Nonetheless, you seem to have amassed a  
  
great deal of treasure. Why look at your cloak, such a man must have a great  
  
fortune!"  
  
As the fool rambled on I glared upon him with a gaze to strike fear into the  
  
hearts of men. As a lion, weary and beaten by the world, wanders home to his  
  
den to find a misfortunate rabbit. The rabbit fool enough to fight the lion, so I  
  
prepared to pounce on this man who went against all laws of men and gods. I  
  
was ready to tackle the man, but a sweet voice called out first.  
  
"Brother! Fiorre, what have you done? Do you not see that this man is a  
  
friend in hardship, on his way home to see wife and country? We cannot anger  
  
the gods with the act you intend to commit! We must go quickly and make a  
  
sacrifice to the great Zeus, god of suppliants. I shall pray that he will not  
  
condemn us with this act!" The voice was that of the lighthearted Gabriella,  
  
daughter of Dirren, as I was soon to discover.  
  
"Gabriella, do not interfere with my actions. I do this in our own interest,  
  
for if the great Zeus did not already intend for us to perish of starvation in the  
  
halls of our own house, he would have supplied us with food. I need to place  
  
food upon our table, sister, and no one will believe a beggar who is strong and  
  
not yet gaunt with fatigue." For once in my time away from Ithaca, I was at a loss  
  
of what to do, my cunning mind thinking quickly. I did not need to decide what to  
  
do with this thief, for three of my comrades from the ship walked by and Fiorre  
  
no longer had any urge to do me harm. His lighthearted sibling had calmed his  
  
mind and heart.  
  
"Forgive me, stranger. You must understand my need, for no one will hire  
  
me as a cowherd or laborer and my sister's weavings do not sell in the streets. It  
  
is a wonder we are able to stand here before your eyes and not faint from  
  
hunger."  
  
I looked at this man, compassion touching my heart. "You are lucky I am  
  
a kind and thoughtful man, for any other man in this same position would cut  
  
your head from your shoulders in one swift movement!" The young man agreed  
  
and I soon entered the home of these two siblings. The house had but one room  
  
and a window from which one could view the wine-dark sea. Gabriella supplied  
  
me with water and bread as I spoke with Fiorre.  
  
"Our father, Dirren the great archer of Calija, for so this island is called by  
  
travelers, died a poor but happy man. He left us nothing, not even his  
  
reputation, for he too died on the battle-plains of Troy along with his comrades in  
  
arms. No man found it fit to recognize his death. Gabriella and I struggle to live  
  
on what we can find." I listened to this young man, about the same age my son  
  
Telemachus would be, and he sent me off with his sister, the lighthearted  
  
Gabriella, back to the center of town with a small goat.  
  
"You must forgive Fiorre, he only wishes for what is best for us." She left  
  
me in the plaza and pointed me down a large street which led to the palace. I  
  
watched as she hustled toward the temple, leading the sacrifice behind her. I  
  
entered upon the king sitting in his throne playing with his young child whom he  
  
sent off upon my entrance.  
  
"Hello, good sir. How may we help you? I am King Aeoraes and I will be  
  
glad to assist you, stranger. Come, eat, drink, and then we will see to things."  
  
He sent for meat and wine and beckoned me to his side. A wine steward offered  
  
me the good things that lay at hand and I faced this king after doing away with  
  
want for food and drink.  
  
"I am Odysseus, King of Ithaca, man of many struggles. I have come  
  
here so that I may restock the supplies of my ship so my swift ships may return  
  
home to the country we love. Our rations have exhausted themselves and I fear  
  
we may not be able to go on much longer without more."  
  
"Of course we will help you in your need for supplies, Odysseus. I have  
  
heard of your exploits, how your cunning mind led you well in battle on the plains  
  
of Troy. Quick, bring food and wine down to Odysseus' ship so that he may  
  
again see the wife and country that he loves. Bring him my silver finger bowl and  
  
twelve well-wrought bars of gold as well."  
  
"May you rule in peace for the rest of your days, Aeoraes. May your sons  
  
rule after you for years to came, and may the gods bless you for your kindness."  
  
I left the palace and walked to the docks as the sun began to set. I felt a great  
  
rush of wind and heard shouts. I turned around, coming face to face with a giant  
  
eagle as it snatched me from the ground and lifted me high above the earth.  
  
Shrieking came from the creature's beak as flames bellowed out of its wicked  
  
throat. I reached for my sword, but alas! It had fallen to the ground.  
  
Gabriella ran to warn her brother of the beast. "Brother! Fiorre! The  
  
great Odysseus has been snatched up by a horrible eagle which shoots flames  
  
from its cruel beak. Quickly, grab our father's bow and arrows. Shoot the beast  
  
from the sky. Save the man of exploits, and make a name for yourself!" Fiorre  
  
ran to the back of the house and took up the great bow of Dirren. He made his  
  
way to the center of town, sprinting all the way with bow in hand. The eagle was  
  
still circling when Fiorre arrived. Athena inspired him, filling his heart with  
  
courage and skill. Fiorre the beggar fitted the arrow into place with all the skill of  
  
a master archer and pulled back on the string, taking careful aim.  
  
Fiorre loosed the arrow and Pallas Athena guided it to its mark, striking  
  
the eagle in the heart. The great creature let out a shrill cry as it plummeted to  
  
the earth, still clutching me in its foul talons. The ground shook with the impact  
  
of the bird, resounding through the hills. All was still, my head was pounding, but  
  
I climbed from the eagles grip. The crowd rose a cheer as Fiorre walked over to  
  
me.  
"Thank you for shooting the eagle down from its flight. The beast surely  
  
would have flown off to it eyre and left me with no way to escape. I thank you,  
  
Fiorre, son of Dirren, for all you have done for me. I will never forget this deed,  
  
and so I must repay you. Follow me to my well manned ship and I will reward  
  
you justly."  
  
"Of course I will follow you, Odysseus, friend in pain. First you must allow  
  
me to retrieve my father's arrow from the eagle's breast. I cannot let the arrow  
  
reside within the beast while it rots away." Fiorre approached the massive bird  
  
and placed his hands on the arrow, pulling it free from the creature's heart. The  
  
beggar turned from the eagle, holding Dirren's arrow tenderly in his hands.  
  
The beast had not died, it stirred and used the last of its strength to leap  
  
out at the unknowing Fiorre, ready to kill the man with its last breath. I thought  
  
quickly, picking my sword off the ground and, wielding it with all my might, struck  
  
the eagle above its shoulders, causing its head to fly off into the dirt. Fiorre  
  
turned around, eyes wide, "You have saved my life, Odysseus. How am I to  
  
repay you? I am but the poor man you see before you. I have no gold, no cattle,  
  
just the little goat we sacrificed this morning to Zeus, god of suppliants. What  
  
can I do for you, Odysseus?"  
  
"Friend in hardship, Fiorre, there is nothing you should do to repay me, for  
  
if you had not used your great bow to pierce the eagle's heart, I would not have  
  
been here to save your life. You owe me nothing, only the pleasure of repaying  
  
you for your deed." I then led the beggar down to my ship and loaded his arms  
  
with gold, all he could carry from the gifts I had received from Troy. Then,  
  
Aeoraes' men came with the gifts he had given me along with my supplies.  
  
"Escort this man back to your king. He is a great hero, son of Dirren, and should  
  
be given work. I am certain he would be honored to have any work at all. Surely  
  
your king is kind enough to help this man in his time of need."  
  
King Aeoraes came down at that very moment, "Indeed I would be glad to  
  
take this young man into my service. I saw his skill whilst he shot the eagle from  
  
the sky. Such a man is a valuable addition to any man's service. I would be  
  
honored to take you into my palace and give you work and fine clothes for  
  
piercing the eagle's heart."  
  
I saw that all was well again in Calija, the great harbor city, and I returned  
  
to my ship after saying farewell to the king and Fiorre. My crew was ready to  
  
leave and they sat in ranks rowing hard over the wine-dark sea, glad to have full  
  
bellies and new supplies. We reached the Aeolian island next, the home of  
  
Aeolus, Hippotas' son, beloved by the gods who never die -- a great floating  
  
island it was, and round it all huge ramparts rise of indestructible bronze and  
  
sheer rock cliffs shoot up from sea to sky. 


End file.
